How to Help Your Kids Avoid Colds and Flu

You may have heard that exposing kids to germs can help keep them from getting sick with a cold or flu. But does that really work? What you think are good germs may not be. Read on to learn the truth about the “hygiene hypothesis”…

Many moms believe that children should be exposed to germs because it’ll strengthen their immune systems. But it’s time to rethink that idea, experts say.

“The ‘hygiene hypothesis’ in the 1980s made people conclude that we’re too clean for our own good – that [we] don’t have to worry about germs, because they help build immunity. That’s just not true,” says Philip M. Tierno, Ph.D., clinical professor of microbiology and pathology at New York University Langone Medical Center.

More than three-quarters of the world’s mothers believe this theory, according to the Hygiene Council’s recent “Good Germs, Bad Germs Survey” of 17,000 women in 14 countries with children under age 5. The council, of which Tierno is a member, is made up of the world’s leading experts in hygiene and related fields; its goal is to help stop infection from spreading.

Most mothers are misinformed about which germs are helpful or harmful, Tierno tells Lifescript.

“There’s no question that exposure to some organisms over time is important – so it’s OK for children to play in the dirt or put things in their mouths,” he says.

Unless a person has an open wound or a suppressed immune system, eating dirt won’t hurt them, Tierno says. That’s because most bacteria and fungi found in soil aren’t human pathogens, he adds.

Good germs also include the positive bacteria in your gut that helps you digest food.

“But it’s not OK to share toys [that other kids put in their mouths] or food, or to sip from the same straw, especially if the other child has an illness,” Tierno says.

About 62% of mothers in the Good Germs survey said it’s OK for their children to be exposed to cold germs, because it helps build resistance to the common cold. In the U.S., the number was higher: 74%.

But you can’t create immunity to colds that way, Tierno says.

About 200 different viruses can cause the common cold. Rhinoviruses (at least 100 varieties) and coronaviruses (30 or more) account for most colds. It’s impossible for someone to become immune to all of these viruses, he explains.

“Just look at flu viruses: You basically need a new vaccine every year or two because there’s constant change occurring in these viruses,” Tierno says.

Fortunately, frequent hand-washing puts most bad germs out of commission.

“Eighty percent of all infectious disease is transmitted by contact – with people or something they’ve touched [recently],” says Tierno, author of The Secret Life of Germs (Atria).

The other 20% are either airborne, like tuberculosis, come from contaminated water or food, or are carried through insect and spider bites, he explains.

“Be aware of how germs are transmitted, and how you can interrupt or prevent their transmission by keeping your hands and your home as clean as possible,” he says.

If you’re following your sniffly child around the house with disinfectant, wiping everything he touches, you’ve got the right idea.

There’s not much you can do about being bitten by the rare mosquito carrying West Nile virus or malaria, or by an even rarer monkey carrying the herpes B virus, Tierno says, but you can take action to ward off the bad germs that cause colds and flus.

“The recommendations are simple,” he says.

Here’s what you need to tell your child:

Wash your hands before eating and after using the toilet, touching pets or other people, blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. Keep washing with soap for at least 20 seconds. Remember to clean the wrists, between fingers and under nail beds.

Don’t share food or drinks with other kids, or use the same utensils or straws.

Don’t play with children who are sick, and stay home when you’re sick.

And here’s his advice for parents:

Practice good household hygiene, including safe food handling. Wash fruits and vegetables, and keep meats at safe temperatures. Constantly clean and dry kitchen surfaces, including counters and cutting boards, to avoid cross-contamination. This is especially important when handling meats, such as poultry, which quickly can develop salmonella bacteria at room temperature.

If someone in your household is sick, clean even more often with a disinfectant solution (such as Lysol). These antimicrobial agents kill or inhibit the growth of many types of germs, including bacteria, viruses, molds and mildew.

Use hand sanitizer gel that’s 65% alcohol when soap and water isn’t available.

Keep sick children at home. Don’t send them to school or play groups, where they can infect others.

Don’t demand antibiotics from a doctor if your child has a cold or flu. They won’t help. And never give children antibiotics that weren’t prescribed for them.

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